Comments on: A Postal Post: 6 Crazy Stories of Mail Bonding

By: Angela

Angela — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:52:14 +0000

@Medea And that is why I only feel slightly guilty about about not writing my host family from Costa Rica. The mailing address included what water tower they used, type of car they have, and that it’s family name X who lives next to family name A not family name B since there’s someone else with the same name who lives in their neighborhood in a very similar house.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:25:38 +0000

“It’s easier than you think.”

As a guess, put your address as the main address, put the recipients address as the sender address, scribble out your address and put “RETURN TO SENDER – NOT AT THIS ADDRESS”?

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:54:28 +0000

You can use my first name and my zip code and I will get the letter. My town is that small.

By: Cliff

Cliff — Sat, 19 May 2007 01:19:12 +0000

The story about John Underwood, I first heard from my father about 50 years ago. And it sounded like it had been around a long time then.

I have a feeling that the post office is wise to the return address trick. (They’ve probably seen it about 10,000 times.) One tip-off would be if the letter is not mailed in the return address city.

And, finally, I once wrote a check for state income tax due payable to “Reagan’s Looters and Thieves.” It was cashed without comment and returned to me with my bank statement. At the risk of starting a new thread here, I also once wrote a check to “Cash” on a blank piece of paper. It, too, was cashed without comment and returned to me with my bank statement. I don’t think you can do that any more!

By: Skye

Skye — Thu, 17 May 2007 20:34:43 +0000

A postcard was once addressed with just my name and “Hollywood, CA” (I live in Los Angeles) and it got to me just fine!

ps. If you’re going to do the “return address” scam, make sure you drop the letter in a blue mailbox. Most postal carriers won’t even take the letter from a personal mailbox if it has no postage.

By: MikiD54

MikiD54 — Thu, 17 May 2007 17:47:37 +0000

My home state of West Virginia is often confused with that other state next door called just Virginia. Therefore, we often call our state “WEST (by God) Virginia” just to keep people straight on which state we were from. I once addressed a letter to my Mom in our little hometown in West (by God) Virginia and the USPS returned it to me and refused to deliver it with that designation on it! Bunch of spoil sports.

By: Ross

Ross — Thu, 17 May 2007 12:02:43 +0000

At the Will Rogers Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma, there is a small display of letters that were sent in unique ways. The one that sticks in my mind has simply a pencil sketch of Rogers in profile and the word “California” on the envelope. Will Rogers was so well known that the letter was delivered without any trouble!

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 17 May 2007 07:53:29 +0000

Our Town

Wired Magazine Mail Contest

By: miss sparkle

miss sparkle — Mon, 14 May 2007 16:43:50 +0000

One day I would love to try to write the address I want the letter to go to in the return address space and my address on the address in the center space. Then if I don’t attach a stamp they’ll send it to the return address..which is where I would want it to go! That might be kinda illegal though….

By: Amy

Amy — Sun, 13 May 2007 03:46:13 +0000

i mailed (and was mailed) a good sized (maybe a foot in diameter) rubber ball with the message and address written on it with sharpie.